The present invention relates to expellants of phytopathogenic microbes.
Previously, organic mercury, organic arsenic or organic chloride pesticide has been used as the expellant of phyto-pathogenic microbes, but since these pesticides remain in the applied plants for long periods and so when they are ingested as foods the pesticides might reveal chronic toxicity; they also may influence maliciously on the environment.
The compounds having the following general formula: ##STR1## themselves are known as Rifamycins, which have an antibiotic activity (e.g. P. Sensi et al, Antimicrob. Ag. Chemoth., 699 (1966); M. T. Timbal, Antib. Ann. 1959-1960, 271 (1960); P. Sensi et al., I1 Farmaco, Ed. Sci., 15, 228, 235 (1960); P. Sensi et al., Experientia, 16, 412 (1960); and M. T. Timbal et al., I1 Farmaco, Ed. Sci., 16, 181 (1961)). However, it has not been known that the compounds have excellent expellant effects on phytopathogenic microbes.